Tour of Good Hope now an international drawcard

The Takealot Tour of Good Hope’s elevation to UCI status for 2019 will ensure that one of South Africa’s premier road tours is a drawcard for SA and international competitors.

It is the first time that the five-day race, which takes place in the Cape Winelands from March 4 to 8, will have UCI points up for grabs and Cycling SA general manager Mike Bradley believes it will benefit riders across the board.

It was the national body’s aim to develop more UCI-classified races and it had, therefore, approached race organisers to consider this option.

With the documentation completed, the Tour of Good Hope has received UCI 2.2 status, joining the only other event in South Africa with a similar ranking, the Tour de Limpopo.

Bradley said Cycling SA’s top priority was to create more opportunities for South African riders to earn UCI points.

“Having these sorts of races is important, particularly because from now until October is Olympic qualification year.

“That means the higher our riders rank internationally, the more we will have to qualify for the 2020 Olympics,” he said.